Augusta National chairman Billy Payne has announced that the cut for this year's tournament will be increased to 50 players and ties, plus those within 10 strokes of the lead.

Previously only the top 44 and ties and those within 10 shots would make the final two rounds but organisers have opted to increase capacity for the 93-man field.

Adam Scott, Jason Day, John Senden and Marc Leishman are in Augusta in a bid to secure Australia its first green jacket.

Payne also announced changes in eligibility for next year's edition of the tournament.

Instead of the top 16 finishers in the Masters automatically earning invitations back to Augusta, only the top 12 will be assured of berths the following year.

"We believe offering more playing opportunities for the participants over the weekend is a positive for everyone involved," he said, while adding that the players, fans on site and TV viewers would all benefit.

Payne covered a wide range of issues in news conference but refrained from taking a position on a proposed rules change that would ban golfers from anchoring long putters against their bodies during the stroke.

With the PGA Tour and PGA of America both opposed to the proposed rule by the US Golf Association and Royal & Ancient governing bodies, Payne was asked for his views.

"We are not a governing body. We are a golf club that puts on a tournament," he said.

"Given the fact that the ruling bodies have not yet declared a decision it would be inappropriate for us to express an opinion, other than to say that we hope and believe that they can reach common ground so that golf will continue under one set of rules.

Australia's Scott meanwhile, who two years ago nearly became the first player to win the Masters while using a long-handled putter, and who will start among the favorites again this year, has been vocal in his opposition to the proposed ban.

"I have some concern over that, because I believe they are making a mistake and that's been well documented, I guess," he said.

"But they are going to do what they are going to do and we'll see how the other powers that be respond."

It's a fundamental human yearning to be a part of something bigger than one's self, and maybe that's what drove my mate Ash to die, far from home, in a bloody foreign war against Islamic State, writes C August Elliott.